Connecting device for aircraft



Feb. 13, 1945.

A. GRAUSE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT CATAPULTS Filed. June 24, 1941 w; w N m G r R E M Patented Feb. 13, 1945 O FICE CATAPULTS AlbertGrause, Covington, Ky. Application June- 24, 1941, Serial No. 399,484 r i ciaim. ,(01. 244-63) i This invention relates toimprovements in connecting devices for catapulting mechanism for attachment to aeroplanes; hydroplanesand similar aircraft, and particularly to an automatically releasing connecting device. An objectof the invention is the provision of an improved connecting hook for catapulting mechanism for use on aeroplane runways and the like to assistin the take off of aeroplanes, y particularly the larger type of bombers and heavily loaded planes, which donot acquire sufiicient elevation inthe limited length'of the runway.

launched; that is, whether it isa' land plane, 'hydroplane 'orlsqme other specifictypeof aircraft. At one 'end of the runway there is a pit or,

"offset ii in which is mounted an engine l2 offany suitable or desirable construction andltype which has means fordriving a shaft and drum '14. Encircled around the drum .l4 isthe cable. 15

,whichalsopasses over, guide oridlerpulley or wheel l6. Itwill be understood that the idler pulley or wheel 16, is arranged to properly posi-- tion the cable .I 5 when in the actual pulling operationg The inner end ofthe' cable l5has attached Another object of this invention is the provision aircraft when the catapulting force is overcome by the forward movement of the plane.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent; by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and it should be understood that modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of theinvention. i

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the invention in actual operation, Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the improved connecting member between the catapulting mechanism and aircraftwith said member in the position it would occupy when in use. i i i Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating,

however, the connectin member in the position it occupies when the pulling tension thereon is overcome by the forward movement of the plane.

' invention is particularly directed.

The aircraft to be launched will have'the usualparts, that is, a body or fuselage I8 terb jminating its forward end in a nose on whichis thereto. the connecting member indicated in gen eral by the reference. numeral, [,1 and it is to the onstruction of this connecting member that my mounted, inthe usual mannen'the self contained motor IS. The motor H! has associated therewith and driven thereby the propeller shaft 20 on which is mounted the propeller 2|. the motor i9 and propeller 2|, the fuselage has laterally projecting therefrom the wings 22. In the particular form of aircraft illustrated in the drawing the fuselage has depending therefrom a carriage 23 comprising an axle 24 having rotatably mounted thereon the wheels 25 which support the plane on the runway I0. As illustrated in the drawing use ismade of the axle '24 to attach the connecting member ll thereto, but

any other form of cross bar will serve equally as well.

The connecting member I! as illustrated most clearly inFigs. 2, 3 and 4 is formed of unitary trated at 3!, passesthroughthe fingers 2B and 21 and the eye 29 to connect the member H to Fig, 4 is aperspective view of the connecting member illustrating in detail 'a preferred form of 1 construction.

Throughout the severalviews of the drawing the reference numeral H], a runway which may be a cement runway on the ground or the deck of a ship depending upon the type of aircraft being the cable. The axes of the rod 3| in the illustration is horizontal but for many installations it maybe vertical. This, as will be obvious, can be accomplished by extending the fingers or arms 26,21 in a vertical rather than a horizontal plane. From the bifurcated connecting. portions 26 and 2'!, the connecting member, a fiat surfaced arm 32, extends. The arm has integrally formed therewith an upwardlydisposed or faced hook 33.

Behind stantially medially of the hook 33 is a tail or arm 35 which is of considerable length and of substantial weight. It will be noted by reference particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the distance from the end 33 of the open hook to the ends of the arms 26 and 21 is quite short compared to, the distance from th portion 33 to the end of the tail or arm 35. Considering the jaw 33 as a fulcrum, or pivot point, the member l1, due touthe weightofthe tailor vane 35, would oscillate .in a ccounterclockwise direction about the axle 24 from the position shown in Fig. 2, to

the position shown in Fig. 3, as soon as the cable tension is overcome by the vforward movemen-t of the plane, and thereby automatically disengage from the axle 24.

The operation of this mechanism ,iseasdfoliowsz The motor I? of the aircnaftlls astarted .torotate the propeller 2 l. Asthe motor is warmed up and the rate of rotation of the propellertincreased, substantially .to, it takeeofi speed, .the auxiliary engine .ormotor i 12 iisfstartefd gan'd the cable JSIIbegins to wind 411D milling the plane iforwarTd. lThecmovemenLdfithet-plmle assefiected .byfthe -engine .ormdto'r LIZ Iis .accleratddibf tension of ithe .cable 1 5. The lllift'ing -..forc.e' of the ,propeller 2 I against the wings 22,, .c'auseslthe. pair'- gthezrotationtof"the; prgpller 2| .alone. .As soon a the movement .o'fthe aircraft, due to" its .own forward propelling power, exceeds 'the pulling bomber, freight plane or even a transport loaded to capacity for long distance flights. It will be appreciated, of course, that the mechanism of this invention may be employed at air ports.

when the take off field or runway is relatively short even for normal take ofi and it thereby insures the safe launching of the aircraft 'on such a field.

The connecting member I! is illustrated in the drawing and has been: described as connected -:with the axle -24 of the aircraft butit will be understood that a separate attaching bar or the dike may be supplied on the aircraft for connecttion with ttheimember l1.

,FFrom the foregoing, the operation of this structure will be readily understood. I have provided5a connecting member for a .catapulting \mechanism will automatically disengage itself Ifrom the aircraft when the speed of the, planeaexceds the speed of movement of the cable.

Instead tof .having. .the -catapnlting .mechan-ism maybe arrangedpnuagturntablasog thateregarde movement go'f the cable N5 the tension on "the cable "becomes slack, whereupon the connecting member T11 rotates counterclockwise about *90 degrees and automatically fallsifrom 1the pul1ing position, shownliirfiFigilito' itscreleasingpo'sition shown in Fig. 3, and drops;by gravityffromlthe aide?! oftheplane. 7

This device isparticularly:usefuliwhen' launchjingiafheavily "loaded-"machine such as; a? military I as a,.vane ..extendmg@countertto theedirection of I assistedin"itstake-6ifjinto thelwin'd.

Having thus desc'ribed-my invention, :What I claim as new \anddesire Lto -Secure'hvLetters :Paterit, is:

'In. an aircraft catapultlconneoting.device ,for ;.use" in combination :with al,pulling cable .of :said catapult an'd adapted to engage. a .cross "bar [on the aircraft comprising a tseniiecircular hook portion, the end of said"hook portion facingsup wardly, and weighted lmeans stormed son said hook, and tending to oscillate tsaid hooked I portion ito disengaging position.whentension .on said cablebecome tslackflsaid,weightedmeansrshaped movement of said pulling cable.

, ALBERT GRAUSE. 

